New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-11
IN THE CHOLERA HOSPITAL.
HARDSHlPS OF DETAINED IMMIGRANTS.

journalistic investigation Therefore, the following
statement of the condition of affairs those islands,
from man who lived among the poor italians there for
month"; will be read with interest 1t has been made
under oath before Count G. Rao. the Italian Consul
General In this city, and copy of 1t has been forwarded
| to Governor Hill.
Alexander Mtstrovaerio who thus relates his expert
ence is native OF Italy and man OF intelligence. lie
has lived in this country for five years and during that
period has worked Italian newspapers. lie served
his unfortunate countrymsn without any remuneration;
he writes without apparent bias OF any KIND and his
statements worthy OF entire crelencc He repre-
sents the poor Italians in pitibe condition. and
gives II as his opinion that having been sufficiently
fumgatod, they are now entirely free from cholera
germs ana ought to be allowed to proceed to their dest
nations. Obviously his Is n mater which can be de-
cded only by medical experts. Ills statement: is fol
| lows:
l., the undersigned. hereby declare that during tho
carly part OF October 1897 voluntarily rendered 10
the Quarantine health authorities my services free of
enumeration. to act as nurse, interpreter or in any
suiering emlgrAnts quaranined on Hoffman Island ana
Islam" ana on the 9TH OF said month by the kindness OF
Mr. William NJ smith, chief Health Officer OF the Port or
NewN my prohcr was accepted go
Upon reaching Hoffman Island DR.. Smith very coIrtc-
onsy accompanied me through the different buildings
ai was convinced. considering the bad condition Of
the bull ngs, that he had accomplished stupcn ous and
marvellous results.
OUTRAGEOUS CONDITION or THE PIERS.
The docks in outrageous condition, many of the
planks being broken, split and rotten and number of
good sized holes visible in the daytime but ndiscern
blc ut night, especially to those arriving for the first
time. THIS negligence has been the of death in
instance. # in more to confirm which cite the
name of Salvatore Fllario, OF Trcbia province OF
falmcro. sicily. who ia company with the e;nSrants
from the steamship Ae-ia, LANDED on the island IN
the evening He, the said :. tarlo was carrying on
h shoulders great heavy trunk, and when stepping in
Of the holes above referred to- fell the trunk falling
upon h, causing serious injury lie was carried 10 tho
hospital where aiter lingering several days, suffering
/
this strange land, withou; means OF support
The cmgrdnts on reaching the Island are separated or
graded IN four sections or classes. accord to their
personal cleanliness Tue hrt section or cicanes are
assigned quarters on the top Moor IN the western piu
Ing the second section on top floor In thc southern
building; the third section top floor IN the northern
buins AMI the fourth section or dlrtcst OF all on tue
ground ioor In the northern building ,
The cholera appeared among this latter section ava
became local Al tho floors in each building are washed
twice "A day with corrosive sublnatc. some OF tue
very bad condition. the water not flowing at all. which
occasions very offensive aud unhealthy odor notwith-
stationed there. who throws IN the basins buckotui Oh
corrosive snblinate each time they are used .
In the northern and southern buildings the enlgrats
allowed to sleep straw mattresses laid ON Tho
non- AMI are flrn shed with BLANKETS They eat their
meas ~ their sleeping apartments The fooi PROVIDED
by The agents OF tie abie Line is tolerably good
ALLEGED sWINDLING rRACTISED ON TIE IMNI-
GRAMS.
When first arrived on the island hear! many COM
plants the to the effect that the repre-
-cnt;yes OF the Fabrc Line, contrary to.the steamship
conplnys orders. collision with the cook. were max
ug capital out OF the poor peoples mi'iortunes 10y
selling nca vinegar. OIL. wine. stamps. etc. etc. etc,
charging very small piece OF mcat 10 cents; ior
2cent postage stamp > an IN some instances cents
a small glass OF line, 10 cents one she. ot paper ana
envelope. from 10 cents; ocent package oil
tobacco from 10 10 - cents. for exchanging An Italian
Ire IL cents were allowed ana man! Other eNorpllant
charge. These cNtprtious were Immediately dlscon-
tnucI by the pcicmpi"ry orders OF pr sm,h ana INC
steamship copmants agents, when brought 10 'heiF
notice by the attendants AMI myself
The day reached the Island the second baggage ilm-
gallon w., taxing place MANY OF the ensrauts having
move the sa". aul during III" meeting pn'r'- were
obliged to cover themselves with blankets me mrth2I
of fum CATION follows: ON the ground rolr of thc
southern building are Two rooms m'ic ar sh'' one %
which l. the northwest and the other CA tc south,
east corner ia each az those rooms lines are >tr'ched
crusswisr which the clothing u NUM- ia t'r c'n'te
~ the Rooms lhrSc pIanIt5 81 I'll pnu' j. f'' ,
fnnc. of which strong that c0uld not I'VE Tor
moment n inco,cI therein Tho clothing !, left hang
lux smoke aud f"r six hours after whic
in strong. airtight wooden tank, into which latter
ciohns which f.. almost Invariably destroyed a. tie
heated dlmpncss causes the colors Ia run md the
material to rot While thl, operation is bring performed
tho trunks and packages which contained the cHcrts are
thoroughly washed with strong stream OF salt water
pumped through IL hose.
our orr FROM CONNUNGC NrfpN WITH FRIfND'
Ic,n,icr he emf grants caused great hnrishlp4 by
being deprived ~ communication With their relatives
anI friends for although II has been said aEi published
in the newspapers that parties .nom The surrounding
cities have been allowed to visit the l>inui declare
po.dvcly AMI cnphailclly that such Is "ot the case
nnI that whenever any attempts have been made to do
so the police have threatened shoot and IN some IN
stances have done 50. using cartridge "'l.d WIN
90 shot. and the landing has never been elected.
Neither have any ot the entrants OF cmpoycs zen ue
island. The latter are all very klhi 10 inc i"thcr cc
iav Mr. Crofon. who is ndcfttig1hc In MS chdeaNors
To make them comfortable As possible ~. ..,,,
The hospital Swnhurne Island. To when pr ~hith
accompanied AMI where have been Tor hrcr weeks
performing my yoHn,ary dHuo' 81 & MIN Him
Ia Hoffman Island, found IN good condition ~ posi-
aitcndnrr The Two nurses Mr. Graves and Mr. Aploln.
perform tclr duties admirably, the former once serving
and acniigcly carry ont all ~ Dr smiths in'tfctl3h'
who comes twice AMI frequently thire ulnT ~ =;
Dirns these three weeks the baggage was submitted 10
a third fnmgation, ~ have previously drs'Ilnon ,
ON the 9Th of October was sent ny pr 9'n 10 ~.
tend To fourth fmisntion lasting two days ON ms
occasion an iron tank brought 10 the island the
ihi nIaccd therein and subjected II heat OF 2GO to
2"o Jn,rcr. ON The evening of the 2sth all the men
were placed the ground floor "t me southeiI puh'
ipr and the women and children the ground floor of
m. northern building and compelled To dsrohc them
sclvcr Of all their clothing which was htuh lh,'u ~
the above mentioned tank. and III thr interim coN'!en
Themselves ~ before with blankets ana were scht 20 %
upper stories OF the buildings the hoors "i Whleh III"
been Just previously washed with Corrosive S"oi"""
urnn,rn roGrrmER oN A HOSPITAL SHIP
After being subjected 10 all this marty rlom the poor
creatures hoped they would bc permitted I" leave lor
their respective destinations on saturday the -o'h Oh
Ocober especially the last positive case OF choer"
had developed on the 9Th of October and had been IN
stnnty removed To swnbgrnc Island but after I'VE days
OF anxious expectation. on The evening q" thursday tncy
were sent on board the old snip washington, an" uG,o
pcing almost $40 souls crowded together. WIN rnauo
uuatc means OF accommodations. they are sucrlhS
greatly and II will he miracle II tho disease OF Spo
other equally IA terrible does not break out among
them for there are means OF proper Nchtl wy
vessel being old wooden hnk without III n
beings The upper deck Is numbered up win trunks ana
baggage OF All desert tion thus anordnH no iaclltrS
Whatever for exercise The watorciOsets are hslni-
ccnt and In very short time Will be III a htny cohui
ton which will assist greatly III causing disease .
For All the outrageous treatment these poor lghoraht
pcope have boon compelled to suffer, when no uhcV-
fitted country would practise upon poor uhortuuat1s
or even tolerate. they have been most uncommohlV
orderly and have submitted wondering ana aahc1 at
great II,
hiRhcst degree OF civilization and comfort OF ~
expected To found the destroying or nearly an
theIr wnri, posscssiOns to degTadaOns, sunerlngs
nnd the valuable time, during wmou
their families are being deprived Oh proper Ho "a P
port =, - .,, ,.oosto,a Dr
And further declare that on several occasions Dr;
Smith informed me the fourth funigaon was sumcicnI
for all incnts and purposes ana that the cmlgtats
could have been allowed 10 depart for their dcstaohs
without any fear OF spreading the disease, but ne was
compelled to keep Them the Board of Health authot